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I think this might have been answered somewhere before, but I can't find it.
Can the DE handbows be used in close combat?
If not what would a unit of corsairs armed with a pair of repeater handbows use for close combat? Would they just have to stand there and wish they had something in their hands they could use to smash into the enemy's face? Or do they still get their one attack, but not an additional attack for an extra hand weapon as if you had a pistol?

All models have a handweapon for rules sake.

I'm not sure if handbows count as pistols in regards to the extra attack.

Ok. Corsairs come with two hand weapons, but can swap one for a handbow, or take a pair of handbows for 3 pts. I was just assuming they had to swap both weapons for two handbows. My mistake. I can't find it anywhere if they are considered to act like a pistol in close combat.

all of the rules are word for word with pistols, so if it came down to it I would say yes to the extra attack, but there is no explicit wording to support it. Might get shot down in a tourny. No pun intended.

boogeyman wrote:Ok. Corsairs come with two hand weapons, but can swap one for a handbow, or take a pair of handbows for 3 pts. I was just assuming they had to swap both weapons for two handbows. My mistake. I can't find it anywhere if they are considered to act like a pistol in close combat.

I don't have my book on me, but I'm pretty sure only the Champion can purchase a pair of handbows (as well as our Hero and Lord choices). In his case, though, he's not swapping out his hand weapon, he just keeps it aside while he's shooting people. Handbows do not count as pistols in close combat, that would defeat the purpose of swapping out for an additional hand weapon.

It wouldn't defeat the purpose of swapping, as you are paying for a ranged attack, not an extra melee. The question is if you retain the extra melee.

I keep forgetting that. Kirbinator is right that only the champion can get a pair of handbows.

And swapping a handbow for a handweapon for free would be silly not to do if you still retained the extra attack and gain a ranged attack for it.

I was just dreaming of a line of 5 corsairs with dual handbows. They could stand and shoot with 20 shots and still get two attacks plus one for the sea serpent banner for 3 attacks in cc.
Oh well I knew it was only a dream, it just seemed so real at the time.

So then lets leave corsairs out of this.

A master takes a pair of handbows, does he get the extra attack(my community made AB2.0 file says yes, but I found no ruling in the book).

Logic dictates that he would as the wording for handbows is identical to pistols except for the actual stat line.

Then again logic did just take a hit in the howdah thread, so we can't trust GW to make sense here either.

Handbows are NOT pistols, therefore they NEVER grant you an extra attack. EVER.

Logic is entirely irrelevant - only PISTOLS grant the extra attack, and only because they are specifically able to do so.

As was said if you could gain a ranged attack AND retain the extra attack for free, why wouldn't you?

The reason they are word for word is to allow them to have most of the same benefits, just not all of them as that would mean you would have to increase their price.

My dwarf thane can get a pistol for 5 points, but my master has to spend 8 points for a handbow.

The DE book is one of the best balanced books that has ever been put out - the points are pretty much perfect.

8 points on a model with great abiltiy to manouver is right. 2 shots instead of 1 also helps.

What about str 4 and armor piercing? Plus the ability to be used in cc.

2 S3 shots on a model with better BS, and you can only use your pistol in close combat if you havent taken a runic weapon...whjich is unlikely, to say the least.

more shots is generally better in this game.

A unit of Corsairs may exchange ONE hand weapon for a Repeater Handbow. There is no option for a unit of Corsairs to have TWO handbows.

The champion may spend points to have two handbows. He retains whatever hand weapons the unit is armed with - if the unit has swapped one of their hand weapons for a handbow, he has a single hand weapon too. If they didn't, he still has BOTH his hand weapons.

(This is derived from the basic champion equipment rule: A champion is equipped the same as his unit. Exceptions are noted in the special rules for specific champions.)

EDIT: And as has been said, no. The handbow cannot be used as a hand weapon in CC. Fluff would dictate that the mechanisms are far more delicate than a pistol. In the RAW (p. 45 of the new DE codex) there is no mention of using handbows in CC - and they are not compared to pistols in the RAW either.